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Thursday, January 06, 2011

The tentative cause of death of 13-year-old Marissa Kingery of Elyria was lack of oxygen to the brain following anesthesia for dental surgery, according to a spokesman for the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office.

It could be months before a final ruling on the cause of death due to ongoing tests, spokesman Powell Caesar said.

Marissa died Monday at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland after being on life support for nearly two weeks following surgery Dec. 21 to remove two baby teeth and uncover an impacted tooth.

The oral surgeon who performed the operation, Henry B. Mazorow of Lorain, was required under the law to refer the death to the Ohio State Dental Board, according to its executive director, Lili C. Reitz.

Reitz said she is prohibited from discussing a particular case until the 13-member board makes a decision, which could range from taking no action to revoking a dentist’s license to practice.

“We get a complaint, we investigate it and decide what to do next,” Reitz said.

“The question is ‘Did the dental treatment fall within acceptable standards of care for the profession, and if not, why not and should the board intervene?’ ” Reitz said.

13-year-old Elyria girl died Monday at a Cleveland hospital after being on life support for nearly two weeks.

Marissa Kingery had been undergoing oral surgery at her dentist s office when she had to be rushed to Lorain s Mercy Regional Medical Center on Dec. 21, according to her family.

She was later taken to Rainbow Babies & Children s Hospital in Cleveland, where she was a patient when she died.

Unfortunately for this family, it started off as a simple dental procedure and turned into a terrible tragedy, said attorney Michael Czack, who has been retained by Marissa s family to prepare a possible wrongful death lawsuit.

Czack said it is not yet clear what caused the medical emergency that led to Marissa being taken from the Lorain offices of oral surgeon Henry B. Mazorow in an ambulance.

I will report more as to the cause of death when information becomes available.